New Hampshire has offered a special youth deer hunt since 1999. Nonresident youth may participate in New Hampshire’s youth deer weekend only if their state of residence allows New Hampshire youth to participate in its youth deer hunt.

This special weekend gives young people age 15 and younger the opportunity to go deer hunting with an adult mentor, without the pressure of competing with thousands of adult hunters.

Accompanying adults must be licensed hunters and are not allowed to carry a firearm; the idea is to concentrate their time and attention on coaching their young companions.

Prospects for this year’s youth season are good, according to Dan Bergeron, Deer Project Leader for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.

In 2012, young hunters took 388 deer during the youth weekend.

“You can help teach the sights and sounds of the forest," said Bergeron, "How to interpret wildlife sign, and how to use this knowledge to track and harvest a white-tailed deer."

"Teaching a young person how to hunt and seeing their excitement can help even the most avid hunter remember why they love the sport so much," he said. "This shared experience can build bonds that last a lifetime. We hope hunters will spend the weekend teaching the state’s youth what hunting is all about."

Bergeron notes that hunting can also help youngsters learn about the environment, conservation, tradition and ethics, and it can build a deep and abiding appreciation for the wildlife and wild places that many of our citizens and visitors cherish.